Welcome to Common Gunsense

I hope this blog will provoke some thoughtful reflection about the issue of guns and gun violence. I am passionate about the issue and would love to change some misperceptions and the culture of gun violence in America by sharing with readers words, photos, videos and clips from articles to promote common sense about gun issues. Many of you will agree with me- some will not. I am only one person but one among many who think it's time to do something about this national problem. The views expressed by me in this blog do not represent any group with which I am associated but are rather my own personal opinions and thoughts.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Who knew?

I was reading this blog by Josh Horwitz of the Coaltion to Stop Gun Violence about how dangerous it is sometimes for people to have concealed ( or open) carry permits, and thus, potentially loaded guns, in every nook and cranny of our country. Those of us involved in the gun violence prevention movement see the world differently than those who have conveniently forgotten that some of the shooters who have committed mass murders had their own permits to carry. So now we have to protect ourselves with loaded guns ( and the permits to carry them) from people who have permits to carry loaded guns. Using this form of logic, everyone will need a gun in public because all those other people have guns in public; and yes, even the criminals who may or may not have a legal right to carry. How will we know who's who? The simple answer is: we won't. Who knew it would come to this?

How can law enforcement officers protect the public and themselves from people who don't believe in laws at all? Check out how the Memphis Police tried to protect themselves against crazy citizens with weapons.The Southern Poverty Law Center has done a lot of research into home grown groups of vigilantes and even terror-like organizations. They track hate groups and domestic terrorists. So this article posted by the SPLC is probably not a surprise to them. But when a man and his son, in the article linked above, can shoot 2 police officers to death in cold blood with an AK47 and wreak havoc by later injuring 2 other officers, something is wrong. The now deceased Jerry Kane and his 16 year old son, Joseph ( killed by officers in a shoot-out) were part of a group called the "Sovereigns". They don't believe in the laws of our country so they drive without drivers' licenses, don't want their children to have Social Security numbers, don't pay taxes, etc. And some of them are armed and ready to fight against anything they perceive as threatening to their own strange beliefs. This tragic incident is almost too unbelievable for words. Here is a quote from the father ( Memphis Police Chief) of one of the slain officers: " Bob Paudert, in an emotional interview with theIntelligence Report, said he knows only too well what the cost can be. "It was the worst day of my life, ever," the chief said. "I hope no parent has to go through what we've been through.""

Paudert was expressing the emotions of way too many parents in our country. Shootings of children, whether adult children or younger children, happen every day. My mother, of course, knows what it is like to lose an adult child to a bullet. It just shouldn't happen, but it does. The shooting of the Memphis police officers is so senseless and brutal as to be unbelievable. Now officers all over the country need to fear that when they pull a car over for a "routine" stop or because of something suspicious, they may be confronted by people who are members of a hate group who will shoot to kill for even the slightest reason. Being an officer of the law is enough to provoke some to shoot to kill. Who knew?

What about this then, if you don't think the above linked article is enough to make you wonder about senseless shootings? Do people actually hold "burglary drills" in their homes so they will know what to do if a burglar breaks in? This Orlando, Florida man apparently thought it was a good idea. I am betting his wife, who is hospitalized with her gun injuries doesn't share that view. This incident does again prove that guns in the home are more often used to shoot someone you know and love in your home than in self defense. Darn, these things just keep happening. People keep shooting off guns by accident and killing or injuring a loved one or a friend. I would recommend thinking twice about holding a "burglary drill" in your home. Who knew?

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